If you've been feeling the heat a bit too much this summer, friends at the Wirecutter have put together a guide for finding the perfect air conditioner, so you can keep cool and comfortable this year.

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The air conditioner you use depends completely on the space you're trying to cool, among other things. They say the most important things to look for are:

How many decibels an air conditioner generates when it's running is an import factor to consider, especially for anyone planning on installing it in their bedroom or living room. If you can't sleep or hear your TV for the noise your air conditioner makes, you're trading one kind of discomfort for another.

You'll likely want it to have digital controls too. Going digital allows for a number of useful features a remote control and an adjustable timer for turning your air conditioning off in the morning after you've gone to work and back on in time to cool your home before you return home at the end of the day.

Airflow control's important-especially in small spaces like a bedroom. Not being able to stop cold air from blowing on your face while you're trying to sleep sucks.

Finally, to save money and the environment, you'll want your air conditioner to be Energy Star compliant.

They have a number of different recommendations for the "best" air conditioner models, depending on your type of room, so I highly recommend checking out their full article below—especially if you're one of the unlucky ones in 100-plus degree heat right now. Of course, if you don't want to spring for a full air conditioner, you can try one of these effective DIY alternatives, too.